Houston Cougars RB Declares for NFL Draft
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Over the weekend, Coog Nation received some notable news from a veteran running back concerning his future with the program.
Stacy Sneed, who's spent six years with the Houston Cougars, has officially announced his intent to enter the NFL Draft.
Throughout his collegiate career, Sneed totaled 1,206 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on just 215 carries. He also caught 57 passes for 373 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Thank you Houston ❤️ pic.twitter.com/TshPdZKS2m
— 🔛🔝🔜 (@famous_stacy) January 17, 2026
While his workload in the Houston offense may have declined with the Cougars becoming more aggressive in the transfer portal, Sneed's consistency in the both the rushing and passing attack makes him an interesting NFL Draft prospect.
Sneed joins offensive lineman Dalton Merryman, defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr., and tight end Tanner Koziol in their goal of getting drafted in April.
Sneed's Career with the Cougars
Sneed's story is rare in today's college athletics. While many athletes choose to enter the portal early on in their career, often times to look for a starting role, the three-star running back coming out of high school chose to stay with the Cougars even after redshirting his first two seasons.
It wasn't until the 2022 season that Sneed finally saw the field. Across 12 games as a redshirt freshman, the ball-carrier totaled 486 rushing yards and five touchdowns on just 70 attempts. He also caught 20 passes for over 110 yards. While quarterback Clayton Tune took the majority of the carries on offense as the time, Sneed was still able to contribute to a Cougars team that ended the season with an 8-5 record.
Despite seeing his role in the Houston offense decline in 2023, largely in part due to running back Parker Jenkins and dual threat quarterback Donovan Smith, Sneed still averaged nearly six yards per carry and over seven yards per reception. His lone touchdown of the season came against the Rice Owls where he recorded 41 rushing yards on nine carries.
SNEED FOR SPEED 💨💨@famous_stacy hit 21.3 MPH on his 65 yard TD run 🤯#GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/OA6dVG86so
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) September 15, 2024
As a junior, Sneed remained consistent in the rushing attack. With over five yards per carry for the third year in a row, Sneed totaled 308 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 60 carries. His best performances came against Iowa State and Rice, where he rushed for around 80 yards. Once again, the running back found his way into the endzone against the Owls.
In his final year with the Cougars, Sneed totaled 130 rushing yards on 37 carries. The running back saw limited action due to the transfer portal acquisitions of head coach Willie Fritz before the 2025 season. Quarterback Conner Weigman and running back Dean Connors took the majority of the carries for the Cougars this past season with both combining for nearly 1,700 yards on the ground.
While the latter part of his Houston career saw a reduced role, Sneed's perseverance, versatility, and consistency, stood out among others on the roster. With the running back already showing that he's willing to be patient for his opportunity, there's reason to believe that the Arlington, Texas native will be able to find his way onto an NFL roster in the future.
